Commentary – Page 60

What’s the Spanish for…

Today I was involved in a lunch meeting with a media company looking at the feasibility of coming into Northern Ireland to create a development and support centre. Extremely likeable folk – especially when we slightly digressed into the solutions for hyper-local news, the opportunity for e-learning solutions based around challenge-based learning, the colloquial Spanish … Continue reading “What’s the Spanish for…”

Today I was involved in a lunch meeting with a media company looking at the feasibility of coming into Northern Ireland to create a development and support centre. Extremely likeable folk – especially when we slightly digressed into the solutions for hyper-local news, the opportunity for e-learning solutions based around challenge-based learning, the colloquial Spanish for “motherfucker” (part of a much larger discussion around games used for language acquisition) and the opportunities for really really passionate people in a company that values passion over all.

Really nice guys, very easy to talk to.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

Yesterday I finished my first draft of a three page proposal for a “Software and Digital Media Centre” for Northern Ireland. I sent it to four friends and colleagues for comments. My aim is to encourage the creation of a “Technology and Innovation Centre” as I have blogged previously but today I read a feature … Continue reading “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Yesterday I finished my first draft of a three page proposal for a “Software and Digital Media Centre” for Northern Ireland. I sent it to four friends and colleagues for comments.

My aim is to encourage the creation of a “Technology and Innovation Centre” as I have blogged previously but today I read a feature on Waterford-based TSSG (on SocialMedia.net by Tom Murphy).

It is a public research organisation and the focus of its work is in the area of telecoms and internet technologies. TSSG engages in research and works with industry as well.

A unique aspect of the setup is that the TSSG competes for every cent that it brings in, and its funding is mainly dependent on the winning of tenders that are a part of the European funding framework and collaborating and partnering with other organisations.

“We see ourselves very much as a European organisation. We see ourselves competing for collaborative tenders and working with the leading companies across Europe.”

TSSG represents part of a model that I seek to encourage. To establish an organisation in Northern Ireland which will work with universities and industry alike to deliver on market trends quicker, to be more responsive to the needs of industry and to open the doors on the exploitation of university research and european collaboration. I envision a hub in Belfast and satellite sites (linked to colleges and universities) throughout the province, echoing conversations I’ve had with Mark Nagurski regarding the creation of a “Big Hub”. Northern Ireland is the hub of creativity. For every Titanic, we have a Lord Kelvin. For every George Best, we have a C.S. Lewis.

So, I’m looking for some collaborators. Some folk who want to work on the process, help me submit something impressive and lobby for the change we need. It’s my firm belief that with the right people, regardless of the money, we can change things.

On Tuesday this week, Nichola argued against grant culture in Northern Ireland: Any Grants Going?. I absolutely agree. We need to find champions who will stand together to change the world because if I have learned anything in the last three years it’s that I can’t do this alone. And neither should I. I do not “represent” the industry I work for except to push myself into places where the “industry” cannot. To thump the desks loudly to make sure our interests are heard. To make waves.

We have to do things now to change tomorrow. We only have today.

We must work together, not in isolation. In numbers, we have strength.

We cannot expect others to do it for us. They have their own challenges.

Try to disconnect the idea of cinema with the idea of making a living and money.

This is a great interview. Francis Ford Coppola: On Risk, Money, Craft & Collaboration: Over the course of 45 years in the film business, Francis Ford Coppola has refined a singular code of ethics that govern his filmmaking. There are three rules: 1) Write and direct original screenplays, 2) make them with the most modern … Continue reading “Try to disconnect the idea of cinema with the idea of making a living and money.”

This is a great interview.

Francis Ford Coppola: On Risk, Money, Craft & Collaboration:

Over the course of 45 years in the film business, Francis Ford Coppola has refined a singular code of ethics that govern his filmmaking. There are three rules: 1) Write and direct original screenplays, 2) make them with the most modern technology available, and 3) self-finance them.
“Artists never got money. Artists had a patron, either the leader of the state or the duke of Weimar or somewhere, or the church, the pope. Or they had another job. I have another job. I make films. No one tells me what to do. But I make the money in the wine industry. You work another job and get up at five in the morning and write your script.”

This is why universities, colleges, the Arts Council and NIScreen are important to me.

They enable art.

Selling some older kit

I’m currently using a MacBook Pro and so I’ve decided to clear out some older equipment in the house. I’m starting by selling a few items of electronics 🙂 A (Late 2008) MacBook Air with 120 GB SATA drive. AppleCare to February 2013. Perfect for the road warrior. A DELL Mini 9 running Linux. Perfect … Continue reading “Selling some older kit”

I’m currently using a MacBook Pro and so I’ve decided to clear out some older equipment in the house. I’m starting by selling a few items of electronics 🙂

A (Late 2008) MacBook Air with 120 GB SATA drive. AppleCare to February 2013. Perfect for the road warrior.
A DELL Mini 9 running Linux. Perfect for second computer or a Hackintosh.
A Nokia N800 running Maemo. Touchscreen internet tablet.

Arlene is absolutely overjoyed that I’m letting some equipment go. She’s not one for sentimentality – and I’m not really becoming someone who needs six computers these days – I leave that duty now to Arlene and the kids.

I can offer best effort tech support for the N800 and DELL mini 9 and much better support for the MacBook Air courtesy not only of myself but also via Mac-Sys Ltd. It’s got AppleCare until Feb 2013 so it’s covered for manufacturing defects and software issues until then.

Drop me an email if interested. Only really intending to sell locally though so I can personally deliver.

[UPDATE: Received and accepted offers on the MacBook Air and Mini 9]

to drink a lot of bourbon and stay up late

The title quote was made by Lauren Bacall. It comes from the founding of the Rat Pack – when asked by columnist Earl Wilson what the purpose of the group was, Bacall responded “to drink a lot of bourbon and stay up late.” ref: wikipedia Today I spent several hours with the University of Ulster … Continue reading “to drink a lot of bourbon and stay up late”

Today I spent several hours with the University of Ulster Interactive Media Arts Second Year students who were finishing up a two week ‘in-house” placement within the university and working on projects related to Digital Circle: some code4pizza projects and also the formation of an initial showreel for the upcoming SxSW Interactive trade mission.

Over the 10 days, the students were joined variously by Paul Malone (PaperJam Design), Stuart Mackey (PaperBag Ltd), Stuart Mallett (Mac-Sys Ltd) and Bertrand Lassallette-Desnault (Supernova Productions). Each of these folk works in a different part of the digital content industry and had some views (sometimes conflicting) for the students.

When I first met these students I wasted all of my good joke material early as I was keen to get some sort of response from them – and there wasn’t much of a response. Today though, I saw a group of entirely different minds. I had waxed lyrical about how they needed to develop their portfolio, about how their attitude was the deciding factor between working in a great job or a McJob, about how they didn’t need anyones permission to be inspired.

I’m really happy with everything I saw today. I saw redesigns and rebranding for Code4Pizza, web site designs, app user interfaces, heads buried in XCode, hand drawn art, short (but amazing) paper-based pinball animations, stop motion, vector art and, best of all, some real enthusiasm for the subject.

We finished today with a talk that started in the classroom and ended in the car and ranged from Secret Cinema to Cut-up Technique, Building Projections to the Graffiti Research Lab. That, the conversation that comes from collective enthusiasm, is the best place to be.

A Quick Game Idea

After watching the usual morning torrent of abuse directed at Translink, our local public transport provider, I thought of a game idea. You have to drive a bus containing 50 litigious windbags through the winding streets of a European city during rush hour trying to arrive at bus stops on time so you can unload … Continue reading “A Quick Game Idea”

After watching the usual morning torrent of abuse directed at Translink, our local public transport provider, I thought of a game idea.

You have to drive a bus containing 50 litigious windbags through the winding streets of a European city during rush hour trying to arrive at bus stops on time so you can unload and load passengers who hate each other. You can take advantage of bus lanes part of the way but these can be also occupied by lawbreaking drivers and homicidal taxi drivers. Weather conditions will vary from brief periods of sunshine to lengthy periods of rain and short periods of heavy snow, where the roads will not be treated. In this city, there are political dissidents who think nothing of placing explosives on the roads which delays you further. If you’re a minute late, you lose points. If you’re a minute early, you lose points. If the bus actually gets above 75% full, you lose points. If the bus fills and you cannot take on any more passengers, you lose points. Every bus you send out costs you more points. As your points get lower, the traffic gets worse as more people take cars. And the best bit, your points start at zero. Have fun.

Yes, that does kinda suck. And pretty much describes the poison pill that is public transport provision in Northern Ireland.

On a more serious note, I do have a transport-related game idea. One a bit more fun than that above. I guess it will wait until I find some collaborators and money.

Trademarks & Doodles

There’s a bit of buzz on the net today about how the guy who made a big success with Doodle Jump is trying to stop others from using Doodle xxxx for their game names. A lot people say you can’t use dictionary words as trademarks. Fine. Thats not the issue. Does anyone think, for a … Continue reading “Trademarks & Doodles”

Does anyone think, for a single second, that the others producing Doodle apps are not trading on the success of Doodle Jump? Does it cause customer confusion?

Of course it does. So while I think legal action is extreme, trading on the name of someone else is a weasel action. Make your own successes.

#TIC, #KTN, #Science, #Technology, #Innovation

I wrote my first business plan for a co-working space in about 2006 – in response to some encouragement from an ex-colleague who was in Investment Belfast. It helped crystallise some ideas I had with regards to not only co-working, but skills, inclusion, business incubation and innovation. Over the last two-and-a-bit years I’ve been included … Continue reading “#TIC, #KTN, #Science, #Technology, #Innovation”

Over the last two-and-a-bit years I’ve been included on snippets of longer conversations regarding the ‘need’ for a Digital Hub in Belfast. It’s something that inspired us to create StartVI, among other things. I’ve been part of these attempts and also witnessed them being opposed by people who should be helping.

But while CoWorking spaces are generally places to “work” and by that I mean write, create spreadsheets, lay out books, edit images, create software and network online. They provide desks, light, heat, WiFi, coffee, armchairs, water coolers and toasters.

is there a way to have a coworking (or co-researching) facility for freelance scientists?

and this article continues:

A coworking space has three important components: the physical space, the technological infrastructure, and the people. A Science Hostel that accommodates people who need more than armchairs and wifi, would need to be topical – rooms designed as labs of a particular kind, common equipment that will be used by most people there, all the people being in roughly the same field who use roughly the same tools.
…
But in the modern world, there can be more of those. There will be vast differences in size, type and economics. Some will be built and funded by large, rich institutions. Others will be cooperative projects. Some will be free, but by invitation only. Others will be open, but charging for space and use of the facilities.

We don’t have the resources in Northern Ireland to create a vast Fraunhofer-style network of collaborative research institutes so we have to be clever. £200m will be spent on this network of elite technology centres and despite our low population, the strength of our two local universities will mean we can expect to get >£10m of this, which would build 2-3 such centres. I would be disappointed if they were just carbon copies of what had gone before or worse, they just extended the duration of stuff that wasn’t working particularly well in the first place.

One of these in Belfast, using the Technology and Innovation Centre model, could provide access to shared facilities and useful knowledge which would help make up for the small population we have in Northern Ireland. The initial candidate areas of energy & resource efficiency, transport systems, healthcare, ICT and electronics, and photonics & electrical systems all require a significant ICT resource, resource which could be shared and which could take advantage of ‘traditional’ co-working models – bringing in our local experts in software engineering, user interface design and content. Just as a co-working centre contained writers, designers, software engineers, journalists, teachers and life-coaches, so a co-research centre could contain biologists, chemists, physicists and other disciplines – harnessing relationships with the universities for particularly specialised equipment but only containing individuals dedicated to the future of scientific progress.

It’s only thorough these collaborations that create “some of the luck and coincidences that gave us huge leaps in science and technology.”

Who’s interested?

T-Shirt for Xmas

From Arlene’s blog. Related posts: 2011-2-19 9/100 How I Find Blogging Ideas Milestone… Developing for iPhone?

No-one reads my blog :(

From Arlene’s blog.

KELVIN: A Guest Post

There’s been a lot of discussion regarding the benefits of Project KELVIN, a €30M investment in Northern Irelands telecommunications infrastructure. The issue is that when questions were asked, answers were not forthcoming. David Kirk, ex-AOL, ex-Cisco, steps in with some clarity. Let’s Get a Few Facts Right …, by David Kirk. In November, Matrix published … Continue reading “KELVIN: A Guest Post”

Let’s Get a Few Facts Right …, by David Kirk.

In November, Matrix published “Telecoms Horizon Panel Report; Exploiting Northern Ireland’s Telecoms Infrastructure” claiming “international connectivity now gives us the distinction of being “closer” to the east coast of North America than California.”
Then on December 14th, in a piece by John Simpson in the Belfast Telegraph, an article on the report states

“The new Kelvin direct fibre link from Northern Ireland to the USA offers huge capacity, sufficient for 1 million concurrent 2Mbps users, and reduces the round trip time for contact with the USA from 120-150 milliseconds to 65-67 milliseconds. Operating in milliseconds is itself staggering.”

You’d get the impression from these claims that Kelvin just established Northern Ireland as the telecommunications gold medalist in the 2010 connectivity sprint. Unfortunately, the above statements are meaningless out of context – a fact that a number of telecommunications experts in Northern Ireland have been trying to tell the powers that be for 2-3 years now.

So, let’s step through this slowly.

But first, lest this article is written off as just another negative poke from another naysayer – there are LOTS of advantages to Kelvin, both strategic and tactical, but round trip latency IS JUST NOT ONE OF THEM.

And, I’ll keep this as simplified as possible to illustrate the point.
On a continuous run of fiber optical cable, data is transmitted as light pulses – and travels at the speed of – well – light. Long lengths of fiber optical cable need repeaters (passive repeaters) to get the light longer distances. This will slow the data down, but that’s not the major reason for delay. Two other network topology and routing considerations have vastly more significant delays on data transfer / throughput rates than round-trip delay – hubs and peering arrangements.

Round trip delay data, in this case, is the time to transmit from a Hibernia node, to another Hibernia node. This has NOTHING to do with the actual delay, transfer rate or throughput that an actual user may experience. The REAL impact of data transfer / throughput will depend on the “last mile”, i.e. what connectivity any user has to its ISP and which other ISP’s are peered.

For example, I am on Time Warner Cable in Palm Springs. To send an email to my neighbor who is on Comcast means that my data has to travel to the nearest peer exchange where Time Warner and Comcast have a peering arrangement, i.e. agreed to allow data to travel over each other’s networks (reciprocity).

Basically, it is impossible to predict generic data transfer / throughput rates from backbone round time delay, and making non-sense statements like “closer” just illustrates that the folks making these claims either know how facile the arguments are, or simply just don’t have a clue about networks and data transfer / throughput rates. A simple challenge to this claim would be to ask for the end-to-end transfer / throughput benchmarks.

By way of analogies:

Basing claims on round trip delay is like saying that a car’s speed is only dependant upon the revs of its engine. A Porsche would be delivering around 400hp and in 3rd to 4th would be doing 100mph and a Prius can only deliver 100hp for a top speed of, maybe 95 mph.
A slower (in terms of processor cycle speed) PC will print faster on a printer connected to a USB 3.0 connections, in comparison to a faster PC printing to the same printer but connected via USB 1.0.

To make these claims that are being thrown about will incur laughter from knowledgeable network engineers and discredit the REAL benefits and advantages of Kelvin. Perhaps the folks that are pumping out these claims should be listening to the folks that understand?